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Mayor Rob Ford was entitled to wade into the debate about a controversial sole-sourced deal city council struck with the operator of the Boardwalk Cafe, his lawyer insisted Monday.

But early in lawyer Gavin Tighe’s closing statement at a $6-million libel trial, Justice John Macdonald pushed back against assertions that’s Ford’s remarks were fair comment.

What proof did the civic leader have that the 20-year lease awarded to Boardwalk Cafe operator George Foulidis was corrupt, the judge asked.

“There just can’t be any doubt Mr. Ford was fully entitled to raise single source contracts, transparency in civic government, cost containment ... did he just go too far?” Macdonald asked.

The owner of the Boardwalk Cafe, in the Beaches, is suing over comments Ford made at a Toronto Sun editorial board meeting in 2010.

Ford criticized the agreement that city council awarded Foulidis’ company, Tuggs Inc., to operate the cafe..

Tighe told court that Ford’s Charter rights allowed him to weigh in at the Toronto Sun editorial board meeting where the contentious comments originated.

“The freedom of expression guaranteed by the Charter is protected unless my friends can show you the primary purpose of the word was to injure George Foulidis,” he said. “In regards to Mr. Ford, how can that possibly be true? Mr. Ford’s evidence is that he did not know Mr. Foulidis.”

Foulidis’ lawyer Brian Shiller spent his closing argument slamming Ford for his comments, saying there is no debating what he said to the Toronto Sun, adding the mayor was alleging corruption and criminal activity.

“The content, context and tone of the article is entirely accurate with what Mr. Ford was saying,” Shiller says.

Shiller said Ford had no proof of any criminal wrong-doing in regards to the deal and the statements where made to win support at the polls.

“It was an opportunistic statement by him without any foundation,” Shiller said. “And in my respectful submission, Mr. Ford knew that.”

If Mayor Rob Ford hoped his days in the courtroom were at an end, he was disappointed.

Ford, Foulidis and a gaggle of curious media will be back in court at the Canada Life building on University Avenue Tuesday after legal wranglings delayed the trial’s conclusion.

The proceedings were originally to run four days but the trial will enter its sixth day Tuesday.